Monday, September 27, 2021

PORTLAND, Ore. – Seattle Pacific put on an impressive scoring display in its first two matches of the conference season, outscoring opponents 11-0 as Falcons players earned both GNAC Women’s Soccer Player of the Week awards.

Sophomore forward Lauren Forster was named the Women’s Soccer Offensive Player of the Week after contributing three of those goals. Forster tallied two first-half goals within three minutes of each other in Thursday’s 5-0 win over Montana State Billings. She then scored her third goal of the week in the 34th minute of the Falcons’ 6-0 blanking of Northwest Nazarene on Saturday.

Senior defender Mariah Alexander was named the Women’s Soccer Defensive Player of the Week for her work to anchor an SPU defense that allowed no goals and just nine shots on goal. Alexander also tallied in the scoring column, connecting in the 22nd minute against Montana State Billings.

The Falcons and Western Washington split the men’s soccer awards after both teams played in Hawaii. Seattle Pacific junior defender Nik Reierson was named the Men’s Soccer Defensive Player of the Week after SPU scored a pair of wins. The defense allowed Hawaii Pacific just five total shots in Wednesday’s 3-2 overtime victory. Reierson collected a goal and led the SPU defense in allowing Chaminade just two shots on goal in Saturday’s 4-0 shutout.

Western Washington senior midfielder Drew Farnsworth was named the Men’s Soccer Offensive Player of the Week after scoring two goals with two assists in the three-match trip. Farnsworth scored the second-half equalizer and collected an assist in Tuesday’s 4-3 double-overtime loss at Chaminade. He then assisted on the game-winner in Friday’s 2-0 win over Hawaii Pacific and scored in the 90th minute of Sunday’s 3-2 loss at Hawaii Hilo.

Central Washington swept the volleyball awards after scoring upsets of No. 15 Western Washington and No. 22 Simon Fraser at home. Sophomore setter/outside hitter Tia Andaya earned Volleyball Offensive Player of the Week honors after averaging 3.71 kills, 2.79 digs and 5.43 assists per set with a .339 hitting percentage in the two matches. Andaya posted her fourth triple-double of the season in Thursday’s four-set win over the Vikings, finishing with 16 kills, 26 assists and 14 digs.

Freshman libero Hannah Stires earned the Volleyball Defensive Player of the Week award as she averaged 5.43 digs and 1.14 assists per set in the victories. Stires finished with 17 digs, five assists, a kill and an ace in Thursday’s victory over WWU and then added 21 digs and three assists in Saturday’s three-set sweep of Simon Fraser.

Western Oregon junior running back Omari Land was named the Football Offensive Player of the Week after he rushed 25 times for 209 yards and two touchdowns in Saturday’s 24-7 win at Simon Fraser. He scored the game’s opening touchdown in the first quarter and then broke off a 42-yard touchdown run to cap the first drive of the second half.

Junior wide receiver Marquis Sampson was tapped for the Special Teams Player of the Week after racking up 110 all-purpose yards as the Wolves’ primary kick returner. Sampson returned five punts for 56 yards, averaging 11.2 yards per return, and also returned the opening kickoff of the second half 52 yards to set up the WOU scoring drive.

Central Washington senior linebacker Donte Hamilton was named the Football Defensive Player of the Week after he led the Wildcats with nine tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss for 21 yards, two sacks, two pass breakups and a fumble recovery against Angelo State on Saturday. In the 14-9 loss, the Wildcats limited the Rams to 253 yards of total offense, the fewest given up by CWU since late in the 2019 season.

Northwest Nazarene junior Tyler Shea collected the Men’s Cross Country Athlete of the Week after his victory at Saturday’s Ken Garland Classic. Shea covered the 8,000-meter course in 25:36, winning by four seconds over Micah Murphy of Northwest (Wash.).

Western Oregon junior Luz Garcia was named the Women’s Cross Country Athlete of the Week after winning Friday’s Mike Johnson Classic in a time of 21:46.4 over 6,000 meters. She finished six seconds ahead of Simon Fraser’s Olivia Willett to win for the second time in as many races.

Western Washington freshman Conrad Brown won Men’s Golf Player of the Week honors after he tied for first in his first collegiate tournament. Brown carded a 7-under-par 209 to tie for first at the Saint Martin’s Invitational, eventually falling in a one-hole playoff to Hawaii Pacific’s Keita Brown. The performance led the Vikings to a 12-stroke team victory.

Montana State Billings senior Kinsey Irvin was selected as the Women’s Golf Player of the Week after she won the Hardrocker Invitational. She carded a two-round score of 155 to finish two strokes ahead of Tuesday Epperson of Westminster (Utah). The performance led the Yellowjackets to a third-place team finish.

GNAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK SELECTIONS – WEEK 5
FOOTBALL OFFENSIVE
Omari Land (Western Oregon, RB, 5-11, Jr., Oakland, Calif. – San Leandro): Land posted the conference’s second 200-plus rushing yard performance of the season, carrying 25 times for 209 yards and two touchdowns in the Wolves’ 24-7 victory at Simon Fraser. He scored the game’s opening touchdown on a one-yard run in the second quarter and then broke off a 42-yard scoring run on the first drive of the third quarter. Also Nominated: Justin Sieber (Simon Fraser).

FOOTBALL DEFENSIVE
Donte Hamilton (Central Washington, LB, 6-3, Sr., Mukilteo, Wash. – Saddleback JC): Hamilton led a solid defensive effort for Central Washington, finishing with nine tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss for 21 yards, two sacks for 17 yards, two pass breakups and a fumble recovery in the Wildcats’ close 14-9 loss to Angelo State. He led a CWU defense that allowed just 253 yards of total offense, the fewest since late in the 2019 season. Also Nominated: Griffin Barrett (Simon Fraser), Jaylin Parnell (Western Oregon).

FOOTBALL SPECIAL TEAMS
Marquis Sampson (WR, 5-7, Jr., Portland, Ore. – Madison): Sampson finished with 110 all-purpose yards in Western Oregon’s 24-7 win at Simon Fraser. Sampson returned five punts for 56 yards, averaging 11.2 yards per return. He also returned the opening kickoff of the second half 52 yards, which set up Omari Land’s third-quarter touchdown. Also Nominated: Kees Metselaar (Simon Fraser).

MEN’S SOCCER OFFENSIVE
Drew Farnsworth (Western Washington, M, 5-9, Sr., Auckland, New Zealand – Westlake Boys): Farnsworth tallied two goals and two assists on the Vikings’ three-match Hawaii road trip. Farnsworth opened the trip by scoring the equalizing goal in the 53rd minute and also had an assist in Tuesday’s 4-3 double-overtime loss to Chaminade. Farnsworth assisted on the game-winner in Friday’s 2-0 win over Hawaii Pacific and scored in the 90th minute of Sunday’s 3-2 loss at Hawaii Hilo. Also Nominated: Alden Massey (Seattle Pacific).

MEN’S SOCCER DEFENSIVE
Nik Reierson (Seattle Pacific, D, 5-11, Sr., Duvall, Wash. – Cedarcrest): Reierson anchored a Seattle Pacific defense that posted wins in the first two matches of a Hawaii road trip. On Wednesday, the Falcons held Hawaii Hilo to just five shots in the 3-2 overtime win. On Saturday, the defense allowed just two shots on goal in the Falcons’ 4-0 shutout of Chaminade, which included a goal by Reierson in the 51st minute. Also Nominated: Gus Diehl (Western Washington).

WOMEN’S SOCCER OFFENSIVE
Lauren Forster (Seattle Pacific, F, 5-7, So., Olympia, Wash. - Olympia): Forster came off the bench to contribute three goals in Seattle Pacific’s scoring barrage in the first week of conference play. Forster scored two goals within three minutes of each other in Thursday’s 5-0 win over Montana State Billings, connecting off of Toni Miranda’s pass in the 42nd minute and then unassisted in the 45th. She scored her third goal of the week in the 34th minute of Saturday’s 6-0 blanking of Northwest Nazarene. Also Nominated: Jordan Roe (Montana State Billings), Maddie Wolf (Saint Martin’s), Kate Cartier (Simon Fraser), Piper Matson (Western Oregon), Allison Lepp (Western Washington).

WOMEN’S SOCCER DEFENSIVE
Mariah Alexander (Seattle Pacific, D, 5-6, Sr., Sammamish, Wash. – Skyline): Alexander anchored a Seattle Pacific defense that allowed just nine shots on goal in the first two conference matches of the season. Alexander scored the match’s second goal in the 22nd minute while the defense limited Montana State Billings to just four shots in Thursday’s 5-0 shutout. She then led the defensive effort once again in Saturday’s 6-0 win over Northwest Nazarene. Also Nominated: Claire Keenan (Montana State Billings), Soph Mendoza (Saint Martin’s), Darien Walton (Western Oregon), Mackenzie Burks (Western Washington).

VOLLEYBALL OFFENSIVE
Tia Andaya (Central Washington, S/OH, 5-9, So., Ellensburg, Wash. – Gonzaga Univ.): Andaya helped lead the Wildcats to wins over No. 15 Western Washington and No. 22 Simon Fraser by averaging 3.71 kills, 2.79 digs and 5.43 assists per set to go with a .339 hitting percentage. Andaya posted her fourth triple-double of the season in Thursday’s four-set win over the Vikings with 16 kills, 26 assists and 14 digs. In Saturday’s win over SFU, Andaya tallied totals of 10 kills, 12 assists and two digs. Also Nominated: Rilee White (Alaska), Ellen Floyd (Alaska Anchorage), Natalie Sullivan (Northwest Nazarene), Emily Gooding (Saint Martin’s), Brooke Dexter (Simon Fraser), Isabel Hurliman (Western Oregon), Calley Heilborn (Western Washington).

VOLLEYBALL DEFENSIVE
Hannah Stires (Central Washington, DS/L, 5-3, Fr., Nine Mile Falls, Wash. – Lakeside): Stires averaged 5.43 digs and 1.14 assists per set as Wildcats posted a pair of victories over top-25 teams. Stires finished with 17 digs to go with five assists, a kill and an ace in Thursday’s four-set win over No. 15 Western Washington. She then added totals of 21 digs and three assists in Saturday’s three-set sweep of No. 22 Simon Fraser. Also Nominated: Dani Dodge (Alaska), Talia Leauanae (Alaska Anchorage), Jennifer Soha (Saint Martin’s), Bianca Te (Simon Fraser), Mckenzie York (Western Oregon), Kasey Woodruff (Western Washington).

MEN’S CROSS COUNTRY
Tyler Shea (Northwest Nazarene, Jr., Spokane, Wash. – Northwest Christian): Shea won his third career race on Saturday, taking the men’s 8,000-meter race at the Ken Garland Classic. Shea finished in 25:36 and was four seconds faster than Micah Murphy of Northwest (Wash). Shea led the Nighthawks to a third-place team finish. Also Nominated: Ase Ackerman (Montana State Billings), Jack Farrell (Saint Martin’s), Aaron Ahl (Simon Fraser), Miguel Villar (Western Oregon), Mac Franks (Western Washington).

WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY
Luz Garcia (Western Oregon, Jr., Los Angeles, Calif. – Cal Poly Pomona): Garcia made it two wins in as many races this season, taking top honors at the Mike Johnson Classic on Friday. Garcia covered the 6,000-meter course in 21:46.4 to finish six seconds ahead of Simon Fraser’s Olivia Willett. Garcia led the Wolves to a fifth-place team finish. Also Nominated: Kailee Stoppel (Montana State Billings), Kalen Belton (Northwest Nazarene), Sara Sabra (Saint Martin’s), Olivia Willett (Simon Fraser), Ila Davis (Western Washington).

MEN’S GOLF
Conrad Brown (Western Washington, Fr., Burlington, Wash. – Burlington-Edison): Brown made a splash in his first collegiate tournament, tying for first at the Saint Martin’s Invitational. Brown carded a 54-hole score of 7-under-par 209, which included a second-round 69 and a third-round 67. He would fall to Hawaii Pacific’s Keita Brown in a one-hole playoff but led the Vikings to a 12-stroke team victory. Also Nominated: Riley Lawrence (Montana State Billings), Tyler Fitchett (Saint Martin’s), Bailey Bjornson (Simon Fraser).

WOMEN’S GOLF
Kinsey Irvin (Montana State Billings, Sr., Lewiston, Mont. –Fergus): Irvin took medalist honors at the Hardrocker Invitational, carding a two-round score of 155. She shot a low-round of 76 on the second day to finish two strokes ahead of Tuesday Epperson of Westminster (Utah). Also Nominated: Shirin Anjarwalla (Simon Fraser).